There was a point this week when our Instagram scroll showed nothing but Swatch Nines posts – it was inescapable. The whole boardsports world was intoxicated by this skate/surf/bouncy ball event. We mention bouncy ball because the most viral clips came from Coco Ho and Laura Enever dodging and enganging with a larger-than-life inflatable Zorb ball. It was a perfect counter to those WSL CT moments when the tour elite rock up with excercise balls. For us, it’s comforting to know that when things heat up, the wave pool world breaks out the Zorbs.

“It’s definitely showing what is possible for competitions in wave pools,” Blair Conklin told us on the phone. Blair had been one of the invited surfers to participate in the innovative, totally different Swatch Nines event at Waco Surf.

The Nines put on an amazing event, below is the official recap.

Day 1 of the Swatch Nines Waco

As the blazing orange sun slowly rose over the Lone Star State, Waco Surf sprang to life with the inaugural Swatch Nines Surf. Curated by Coco Ho, this event offered a creativity-fueled alternative to traditional competitions. Waco Surf in Texas hosted the first-ever Swatch Nines Surf event, marking a significant milestone as the first of its kind event held in the United States.

In the early hours of daylight, Noah Beschen set the bar high, landing back-to-back backflips and a side flip into a double grab flip. He remarked, “It feels like fantasy land here. For surfers and skaters to come together for an event without competition makes it focused entirely on passion and fun. It’s been an insane day, and I’m having so much fun.” He also expressed hope for some favorable winds to assist with the air sections.

With more than 16 hours of skate and surf sessions scheduled, surfers including Coco and Mason Ho, Matt Meola, and Laura Enever kicked off their warm-up sessions, while skateboarders like Andy Anderson, Greyson Fletcher, and Mami Tezuka got accustomed to the new Zenga Brothers-designed ramps that stretch from the deck into the water.

By midday, the creative energy was palpable. Surfers introduced innovative elements such as an inflatable dock for mid-pool step-offs, colorful flares, and even a massive inflatable human hamster ball. Meanwhile, a tractor-suspended wall ride rotated between the pool and a skate ramp.

“I’m grateful for how the surf and skate worlds have welcomed us with open arms, brimming with creativity and a hunger to try new things in their sports,” said Nico Zacek. “Today, witnessing skaters and surfers inspire and cheer each other on while collaborating was a standout moment for me.”

Day 2 of the Swatch Nines Waco

On day two, the wind riders needed for the air section arrived. Pulling on wetsuits, riders hopped in for another massive day of pool time from sunrise to well after dark. The true essence of the Swatch Nines materialized as riders who have competed against each other for years, started working together in new, creative ways. All the highlights from the debut of Swatch Nines Surf premiere on The Nines YouTube starting October 21. 

Hopping out from an absolutely ripping set with Vahiti Inso, Coco Ho, Laura Enever, and Honolua Blomfield, Zoe McDougall said, “We have the freedom to be super creative, and there’s just no pressure. We are encouraged to dream up new ideas, and, have a lot of fun, which is very different than normal surf events. There’s nothing on the line, the Nines just want us to make our dreams come true.”

As the creative juices started flowing, the surfers suspended a rail into the water for board slides. Jacob “Zeke” Szekely, Mason Ho, Balaram Stack, Eithan Osborne and Noah Beschen launched to slide across a tractor-suspended rail, as hoots and hollers lit up the pool decks. 

“The rail worked better than anyone thought it would, it was awesome.” said Balaram Stack.“ Combining skating and surfing like this is what you dream about as a kid. In last night’s skate session, Grayson [Fletcher] rode out of a massive nose grind and a crooked grind on the top part of the ramp. It took him a while, and everyone got so hyped when he finally stuck it. That’s the vibe here. Wanting to see everyone succeed and being inspired by each other.”